JimCarrey Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Someone out there will undoubtedly scream "sacrilegious!" or at least "LAME!", but I've always wanted to see The Incredible Mr. Limpet remade. It's a favorite film of both my parents, and so my sister and I loved it too.

Remake talk has been floating around for years, with everyone from Robin Williams to Jim Carrey being attached to star (I always thought Lee Evans would have been a good pick), and the talents of Mike Judge behind the camera. Now The Hollywood Reporter says that Kevin Lima is the next to try and get it off the ground ... and considering his wonderful work on the live action / animated hybrid of Enchanted, he's a natural fit.

The original Limpet takes place during WWII, and centers on a fish-loving fellow (played by Don Knotts, King of '60s Children Cinema) that is belitted by his wife, and rejected by the armed forces. He falls off a pier and magically turns into an animated fish, and ends up a WWII hero because he can help battle U-Boats and submarines. He also meets a sexy girl named Ladyfish, who picks him up in a "Let's spawn!" scene that undoubtedly left many children asking awkward questions.

It's a cute film, and could really benefit from a beefier story and improved effects. The only downside is that they'll probably update the WW2 setting -- although if they got really clever and set it during the Cold War, I would be very impressed.

The question now is not where, but who. With the announcement that Universal and Illumination Entertainment have nabbed the rights to transform the Where's Waldo? book series into a live-action film suitable for the entire family, with global appeal, naturally we started thinking about who could play the character on the big screen.

We're thinking someone tall, lean, and a little nerdy. Whoever plays Waldo has to look good in a red-and-white shirt, a hat, glasses -- and must know how to wield a mean walking stick. Here are the top five names that come to mind, and why (listed alphabetically):

• Jim Carrey. Accustomed to playing literary characters, especially beloved children's tales, plus proven worldwide box office appeal.
• David Cross. Looks good in glasses; would bring an unpredictable, possibly psychotic and sinister edge to the character.
• Tony Hale. Yes, like Cross, another Arrested Development alumni; brings the "nutty" factor into the equation, plus it's hard to keep your eyes off him even when he's standing still.
• Hugh Laurie. Not too nerdy, true, but he might be the best of all, acting-wise; wields a nasty walking stick on House; amazing comic abilities just waiting to be tapped.
• Rainn Wilson. Versatile, manic energy, can intentionally disappear into the background on The Office -- and definitely has got the bespectacled thing down.

What do you think? Who could play Waldo?

A photo and the first footage (which you can see below) from Robert Zemeckis's Disney-produced motion capture version of A Christmas Carol has arrived online with the video coming in by way of Trailer Addict. Zemeckis was also at the helm of 2004's The Polar Express which used the same technology to attempt to breathe life into another Christmas story. I say attempted because the characters in that film never quite made it as cartoons or real people (at least for me), falling into a creepy sort of Twilight Zone between the two. This new film seems to pull it off more convincingly thanks to more cartoony characters and several years of advancement with the technology. That's Jim Carrey playing Scrooge and he'll also be portraying the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. The cast will also include Gary Oldman, Bob Hoskins, and Colin Firth.

It really says something about a story that can be adapted for film, stage and television as often as A Christmas Carol. One might even say it's a Dickens of a tale, but that's a joke too lame even for me. A quick search for the title on IMDB brings up 26 film and TV productions, which of course doesn't include the ones that took liberty with the title like Bill Murray's Scrooged.

Don't worry -- this post isn't about heaping Leave it to Beaver on the ever-growing remake pile. (Especially because one was made in 1997! -- SW) In fact, this new project is one to keep an eye on.

The Beaver, written by Kyle Killen, topped the Black List in 2008, with Steve Carell in line to star. Now the Risky Biz Blog reports that Carell is out, and Jim Carrey might be working his way in. What could possibly be good enough to top the List and attract both Steve and Jim? How about the story of a down-on-his-luck toy manufacturer who becomes way too close to a beaver hand puppet he finds, "treating it as something close to a human creature with human feelings"? Still not enough? How about the fact that it's been compared to both Being John Malkovich and Lars and the Real Girl? Methinks Jim might be a wee bit perfect for the part.

One would imagine that a project like this would get a kickass director right away, but Anonymous Content is still shopping around since Jay Roach said no. And they've even got one heck of a surprise in the mix: Jodie. Foster. I don't know how the woman behind Little Man Tate and Home for the Holidays got to wanting this gig, but word has it she's one of the contenders. Everything might be up in the air right now, but you can be sure that we'll let you know who signs on the dotted line whenever the news hits.

Forbes has released its Most Valuable Comedians list, and through some intricate calculations I stopped studying after high school, came up with Adam Sandler as Hollywood's most powerful laugh riot, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

Sandler is gaining traction not only because of his starring roles in such critic-proof movies as You Don't Mess with the Zohan and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, but because he can also occasionally show off some real acting chops as in 2007's Reign Over Me and Punch-Drunk Love. The number of movies he's producing and has in development under Happy Madison Productions are growing in number. And despite its premise, this summer's Funny People, which stars Sandler as a comedian dying of cancer who mentors a younger comedian, has quite a number of big names attached. Judd Apatow wrote, directed, and produced the film; Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill costar. Oscar-winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski is behind the lens. So even though at first glance, I thought, "Adam Sandler, WTF?" it's clear that even though Sandler doesn't tickle my funny bone, he does have all the criteria for Forbes's list firmly in place.

Will Ferrell, who's #2, is getting more and more into production along with writing and acting, and launching FunnyorDie.com with director and writer Adam McKay was a watershed moment for viral video. HBO's investment in the website led to a deal with Ferrell and his FoD cohorts for a TV show - 10 episodes to be exact - which turned out to be the hit Eastbound and Down.

Whenever you imagined a dream cast to play the Three Stooges in a movie, did you ever imagine an Academy Award-winning gay activist would be the first to sign? Sean Penn (?!) has agreed to play Larry in The Three Stooges, according to Variety, and Jim Carrey is negotiating for the part of Curly. Reportedly, Carrey is preparing to gain 40 pounds so he can play the role. And to play Moe? None other than Benicio Del Toro is being targeted by MGM and the Farrelly Brothers.

Jim Carrey would be a natural, of course, but Sean Penn? Does he have a funny bone in his body? His last attempt at a humorous role came in 1989's We're No Angels, a woefully unfunny film in which Penn was teamed with Robert DeNiro. Sure, he made his bones as the stoned surfer Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but it takes a real stretch of imagination to think he can play a Stooge. Stranger things have happened, though, and maybe Penn will pull a rabbit out of his ultra-serious persona and shock us all.

Del Toro doesn't have much of a comedy resume, either, though Variety's article claims he "showed comic chops" in Guy Ritchie's Snatch. Peter and Bobby Farrelly have written the script and will direct. The film is intended to be "not a biopic, but rather a comedy built around the antics of the three characters that Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Howard played in the Columbia Pictures shorts." Production is scheduled to begin in the fall for a 2010 release.

Am I underrating Sean Penn's comic abilities? Are you itching to see Penn, Carrey, and Del Toro as The Three Stooges?

I have a weird relationship with musicals -- and unfortunately I don't always have the best taste. For example, I can sing every song from Xanadu, but I don't think I've ever made it through an entire viewing of Meet Me in St. Louis (musical heresy, I know). But, one classic musical I have always loved is Damn Yankees, so the announcement of an updated version has me a little nervous -- throw in two untried singers and dancers and we just might be reaching panic. Variety reports that Jim Carrey (the man famous for talking out of his butt ... literally) has signed to star alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in an update of the 1958 musical.

Yankees was the story of Joe Boyd, a loveable loser who is so dedicated to his team, he makes a deal with the devil, and boy, does the devil deliver. Boyd is soon transformed into a star slugger by the name of Joe Hardy, who can help the team win the world series, but only in exchange for his soul. Throw in a sexy dame by the name of Lola, fantastic music, and dance routines by Bob Fosse, and you have one of the greatest musicals ever made. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel have already been tapped to write the script, and according to Variety, Carrey is set to play the devil, with Gyllenhaal as Boyd, but the production has yet to cast the role of Lola.

A Yankees update almost made it into production back in 2004 under Miramax, but after Mr. Weinstein left the building, the rights lapsed and now New Line is the proud owner of the property. So place your bets: what do you think are the chances of either of these guys being musical wunderkinds? Or, are we doomed to another so-so remake of a classic musical?

Jim Carrey's Yes Man struck me as an awful waste of a terrific premise.

Far from the retread of the Liar Liar gimmick that some people claim, Yes Man's central conceit really resonates, and gets at a simple but profound truth: saying "no" to opportunities is safer and easier, but saying "yes" is more rewarding and fun. Literally having the main character start saying "yes" to everything is not my preferred way of tackling this issue, but it could easily work as a goofy, absurdist approach. Jim Carrey's track record may be bruised, but the actor is still a national treasure. And Peyton Reed's filmography contains some films that managed to be thoughtful despite their staunchly populist aims.

What an unpleasant surprise, then, to see a film so terminally mired in the worst Hollywood comedy conventions. It's hard to be meaningful or even sincere when everything is hideously distorted to fit the confines of hoary old formulas, complete with scenes that don't fit, but which a movie like this simply must contain. Yes Man winds up shrill, manic and unpleasant (albeit sporadically funny) when it should have been breezy, earnest and simple.

Welcome back to another edition of Insert Caption -- the online game that says 'yes' to everything! Last week we asked you to cough up some witty captions for an image from the new animated flick The Tale of Despereaux, and you rats gave us more than enough cheese to chew on. Congrats to our three winners below!

1. "I bring you the head of Fettuccine Alfredo Garcia!" -- Harry J.

2."And then, when the fat man reaches for the cheese....WHAM! The bar comes down and snaps his neck! And all the mice dine for the winter!"-- Charles P.

3. "Fortunately for Despereaux, he had enlarged ears. His brother, Squeaker, with his enlarged nose, did not survive the 'cheese cutting.' -- Dan N.

See full image and all captions



Yes! This week we're letting ourselves go and introducing our souls to new experiences by saying 'yes' to everything -- and, most importantly, saying 'yes' to Jim Carrey's new film Yes Man (in theaters this weekend). The crazy cats behind our three favorite captions will rock out with one Yes Man Motion Pen, one Yes Man "Yes I Can" Post-Its, one Yes Man Loaded Dice in Box, one Yes Man Magic Answer Ball, one Yes Man Next Level Ladies Pink T-Shirt and one Yes Man Next Level Men's Black Tee. Sound off below!



Read the official rules for this contest

Yes, I consider myself a Jim Carrey fan. No, I do not consider myself an apologist for anything he's done. Yes, his latest -- Yes Man -- is amusing. No, it's not his big comeback to live-action fodder since 2005's Fun with Dick and Jane (apparently, last year's The Number 23 wasn't supposed to be funny...), but rather a minor lark in the Canadian comedian's career that attempts to wedge together the wisest cracks and broadest mugging of his Tom Shadyac comic fantasies, Bruce Almighty and Liar Liar, with the exceedingly conventional rom-com efforts of director Peyton Reed (The Break-Up, Down with Love). Yes, the combination (substitution?) leaves something to be desired, although no, it's not exactly a painful sit because of it...

Oh, and yes, the rest of the review will read just like this.